1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an image processing device, an image processing method, a computer readable recording medium stored with an image processing program, an image processing system, and an image forming device. The invention relates to an image processing device, an image processing method, a computer readable recording medium stored with an image processing program, an image processing system, and an image forming device used particularly for processing a file containing objects for specifying pages, at least one of which objects being used in a plurality of locations in the file, and transmitting data for each object in parallel to a plurality of image forming devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, the need for the variable printing has been increasing for mass printing represented by direct mail from the standpoint of CRM (Customer Relationship Management). Variable printing here means the printing method in which the output contents of each page can be partially changed depending on the needs. Therefore, offset printing is not suitable as it is a mass printing method based on a certain fixed data.
Also, printing with a printer using a PDL (page description language) such as PCL (Printer Control Language) had a practical problem such that it takes a lot of time for process in order to do mass printing as it takes a substantial time for rasterizing process (RIP: Raster Image Processing) for converting a PDL file into bitmap format image data. In order to solve this problem, a data processing device is proposed in which, if a similar kind of objects are found in the data of an intermediate page description language, the page data is prepared by registering such objects after adding identification information and applying RIP to the objects and reusing the objects that have been treated by RIP (refer to Unexamined Publication No. JP-A-2004-192390).
On the other hand, since the variable printing by a single printer is limited in the printing speed compared to the offset printing, it is preferable to use the cluster printing method that uses a plurality of printers in parallel to increase the processing speed.
However, the data processing device described in said Unexamined Publication is nothing but a device for preparing page data by itself judging whether the objects treated by RIP can be reused or not. In other words, said Unexamined Publication does not disclose at all any technology for printing by synthesizing the objects while managing necessary objects including reusable objects for each of the plurality of printers. In other words, the technology described in said Unexamined Publication does not provide a method for executing the variable printing at a high speed using a plurality of printers.